5 ms·

Are tics really that big of a deal? I had an abnormally large amount of visible tics when I was growing up as a teenager. This got my parents worried despite a

Are tics really that big of a deal? I had an abnormally large amount of visible tics when I was growing up as a teenager. This got my parents worried despite assurances from doctors, but they all went away when I grew up along with my raspy voice and terrible propensity for acne. This seems like a moral panic like fidget spinners back in 2017, and it doesn't answer an important question: what's the problem if teenagers are subconsciously copying tics from a YouTube star?

larsiusprime 5y ago
I've had diagnosed tourette's for 23 years and yes, tics are a big deal, then and now. Maybe your experience was different from mine, but mine was hardly positive. Teachers hate you. Classmates hate you. You get detained and questioned by airport security. You get detained and questioned by police. Weird pentecostal* ladies subject you to ad-hoc exorcism rituals. Weird liberal* ladies subject you to ad-hoc herbal cleansing rituals. Weird foreign* ladies pop random pills in your mouth thinking you're having an epileptic attack Everyone finds you annoying and thinks you're looking for attention. Even when people understand you and try to accommodate you, you are slowly wearing away their patience and you KNOW it. I would not wish that on my worst enemy. ------- * no shade meant to non-weird pentocostal people or religious people in general (I'm religious myself); just this one particular one * no shade meant to non-weird liberal people * no shade meant to non-weird foreign people * no shade meant to ladies in general, it's just a coincidence it's always been ladies; mostly probably because they're just trying to help and that's sweet in its own way
- exolymph 5y ago
  Thank you for sharing this. Interesting and unexpected. I'm sorry that you've had to deal with all these frustrating experiences.
- bserge 5y ago
  That actually sounds interesting. I've had breakdowns in public, crying and yelling, I've stood on a bridge trying to jump, I've been drunk off my ass stumbling, been talking to myself and kinda barking at strangers, sleeping on benches and not once has anyone talked to or approached me. Which is normal, who in their right mind would do that. Just kinda paints a different picture of humanity in your head than someone who's been helped.
- standardUser 5y ago
  I've had various tics since adolescence, but your explanation helped me realize how minor they have been compared to some people since I can't relate to most of your struggles. Though it also reminds me how much of mental health is a gradient, and not a on/off switch.

larsiusprime 5y ago

I've had diagnosed tourette's for 23 years and yes, tics are a big deal, then and now. Maybe your experience was different from mine, but mine was hardly positive. Teachers hate you. Classmates hate you. You get detained and questioned by airport security. You get detained and questioned by police. Weird pentecostal* ladies subject you to ad-hoc exorcism rituals. Weird liberal* ladies subject you to ad-hoc herbal cleansing rituals. Weird foreign* ladies pop random pills in your mouth thinking you're having an epileptic attack Everyone finds you annoying and thinks you're looking for attention. Even when people understand you and try to accommodate you, you are slowly wearing away their patience and you KNOW it. I would not wish that on my worst enemy. ------- * no shade meant to non-weird pentocostal people or religious people in general (I'm religious myself); just this one particular one * no shade meant to non-weird liberal people * no shade meant to non-weird foreign people * no shade meant to ladies in general, it's just a coincidence it's always been ladies; mostly probably because they're just trying to help and that's sweet in its own way

exolymph 5y ago
Thank you for sharing this. Interesting and unexpected. I'm sorry that you've had to deal with all these frustrating experiences.
bserge 5y ago
That actually sounds interesting. I've had breakdowns in public, crying and yelling, I've stood on a bridge trying to jump, I've been drunk off my ass stumbling, been talking to myself and kinda barking at strangers, sleeping on benches and not once has anyone talked to or approached me. Which is normal, who in their right mind would do that. Just kinda paints a different picture of humanity in your head than someone who's been helped.
standardUser 5y ago
I've had various tics since adolescence, but your explanation helped me realize how minor they have been compared to some people since I can't relate to most of your struggles. Though it also reminds me how much of mental health is a gradient, and not a on/off switch.